Definition of adulterousnext
as in extramarital
relating to or being a sexual encounter or relationship between a married person and someone other than their spouse had an adulterous affair that nearly destroyed his marriage

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of adulterous The unapologetically lurid tale of two families locked in an ever-complex cat’s cradle of class resentments and adulterous power plays also swarms with queen bees and jaw-droppingly muscular men that feel straight out of the Real Housewives playbook. Bloomberg, Mercury News, 22 Jan. 2026 As with the true story of the adulterous writers, there’s something at the center of The Disappear that feels cringily solipsistic. Sara Holdren, Vulture, 19 Jan. 2026 In the months since the incident unfolded at Gillette Stadium, the public — which was quick to discover that Cabot worked as an HR executive under Byron, and that both were married to other people at the time — has been quick to brand the pair as adulterous villains. Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 18 Dec. 2025 The supernatural thriller sees a woman return from death as a vindictive spirit to torment her adulterous husband. Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 26 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for adulterous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for adulterous
Adjective
  • The book, and subsequently the movie, follow Diana’s extramarital affair with her former riding instructor, Captain James Hewitt.
    Giovana Gelhoren, InStyle, 23 Aug. 2026
  • There has never been any real question of extramarital affairs.
    Abigail Van Buren, Mercury News, 18 Aug. 2026
Adjective
  • Though Derrick Moore had never played or coached the sport, that didn’t stop him from starting a team so the students could have an extracurricular activity to call their own.
    Julianna Bragg, CNN Money, 23 Aug. 2026
  • South had just scored a touchdown as officials threw penalty flags for what appeared to be extracurricular action behind the play.
    David K. Li, NBC news, 20 Aug. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Adulterous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/adulterous. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

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